Surgical instrument support

ABSTRACT

A surgical instrument support is provided having an elongated body portion and a series of slots located in the upper portion of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments. The support may be made of hard plastic, resilient plastic or metal such as stainlees steel, aluminum or aluminum alloy. In one embodiment the slots are sized to receive the surgical instruments with an easily removable interference fit. In another embodiment elastomeric inserts are provided in the slots to provide a yieldable interference fit for instrument removal.

I FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a support for surgical instruments to be used in medical operations.

II BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] It has been reported in the Press and over radio and T.V. that instruments and sponges have been left in patients after the operation has been completed, causing serious damage to the patient.

[0003] In one system presently in use 10 some of the instruments 12 to be used in the operation are located on a towel 14 with the handles 16 of the instruments 12 resting on the towel 14. Other instruments 20 are located on a stand or table 30 resting on a cloth 32 which may be either disposable or sterilized between operations. See FIG. 1 and Ex. 1.

[0004] In another system 50 presently in use for endoscopic surgery shown in FIG. 2, in which instruments to be used in the operation are inserted into the patient and viewed externally are located in a tray 51 having vertical supports 52 having curved slots 54 of varying size 58, 56 to support endoscopic instruments of varying cross sections located longitudinally within the tray 51.

III SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A. Objects of the Invention

[0006] One object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrument support which maintains the surgical instruments laterally spaced from each other.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrument support which maintains the surgical tools in a desired location relative to each other.

[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrument support which supports the handle portion of the surgical instruments.

[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrument support which provides structure which indicates whether or not a surgical instrument is missing and may have been misplaced or left in the patient.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrument support which is disposable.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a surgical instrument support which is sterilizable.

[0012] B. Summary

[0013] In accordance with the present invention a surgical instrument support is provided having an elongated body portion and a series of slots located in the upper portion of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments. The support may be made of hard plastic, resilient plastic or metal such as stainlees steel, aluminum or aluminum alloy. In one embodiment the slots are sized to receive the surgical instruments with an easily removable interference fit. In another embodiment elastomeric inserts are provided in the slots to provide a yieldable interference fit for instrument removal. In another embodiment a variety of sizes of slots are provided to accomodate various sizes of surgical instruments. In another embodiment the bottom surface of the support is made flat and/or provided with material to hold it in place on a separate support such as a table.

[0014] In another embodiment the lower surface of the slots in the support include an arcuate lower portion to facilitate holding the instruments in place while they are stored.

[0015] In another embodiment the external surface of the support includes at least one arcuate portion to assist in maintaining the instruments in place on the support. In another embodiment the support includes a pair of arcuate surfaces to assist in maintaining the instruments in place on the support. In one embodiment the support includes at least one tapered surface to assist in maintaing the tools in place on the support. In another embodiment the support includes a pair of tapered surfaces to assist in maintaining the instruments in place on the support. In another embodiment the support is made in two or more sections and one section telescopes within another section. In another embodiment the sections are connected with a removable interlocking fit.

IV THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a prior art surgical instrument support system.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of a prior art endoscopic surgical instrument support.

[0018]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0019]FIG. 3A is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 3A-3A in FIG. 3B.

[0020]FIG. 3B is a front elevation view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 3.

[0021]FIG. 3C is a plan view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 3B.

[0022]FIG. 3D is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 3E is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0024]FIG. 3F is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 3F-3F in FIG. 3G.

[0025]FIG. 3H is a front elevation view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 3G.

[0026]FIG. 3I is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0027]FIG. 3J is a perspective view of the surgical instrument insert shown in FIG. 3I.

[0028]FIG. 3K is a perspective view of the surgical instrument support shown in FIG. 3I without the insert in place.

[0029]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0030]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0031]FIG. 5A is a plan view of the embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention shown in FIG. 5.

[0032]FIG. 5B is an end view of the embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention shown in FIG. 5.

[0033]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0034]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0035]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system of the present invention.

[0036]FIG. 8A is a detail side view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0037]FIG. 8B is a detail side view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0038]FIG. 8B is a detail side view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0039]FIG. 8C is a detail side elevation view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 8C in FIG. 8E.

[0040]FIG. 8SD is a detail side view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0041]FIG. 8B is a detail plan view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8D.

[0042]FIG. 8C is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 8C-8C in FIG. 8E.

[0043]FIG. 8D is a detail side view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0044]FIG. 8E is a front elevation view of the surgical instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0045]FIG. 8F is a plan view of the instrument support system shown in FIG. 8.

[0046]FIG. 9 is a perspective exploded view of another embodiment of the surgical instrument support system showing instrument supports removably connected together in accordance with the invention.

[0047]FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the assembled connected supports.

[0048]FIG. 9B is a detail perspective view of one of the the surgical instrument connecting members shown in FIG. 9.

[0049]FIG. 9C is a detail perspective view of another one of the the surgical instrument connecting members shown in FIG. 9.

[0050]FIG. 9D is a detail perspective view of the connected surgical instrument connecting members shown in FIG. 9.

[0051]FIG. 9E is a side elevation view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line 9E-9E in FIG. 9A.

[0052]FIGS. 10 and 10a are perspective views of another embodiment of a surgical instrument support member.

[0053]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a surgical instrument support member.

[0054]FIGS. 12, 12A and 12B are perspective views of telescoping surgical instrument support members.

[0055]FIGS. 13, 13A and 13B are respectively, perspective and plan views of interconnected surgical instrument support members.

V DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0056] In accordance with one embodiment the present invention shown in FIGS. 3-3C, a surgical support 70 may be made of hard plastic, resilient plastic or metal such as stainlees steel, aluminum or aluminum alloy, and may be disposable or sterilizable. The surgical support includes an elongated body portion 71 and a series of slots 72 located in the upper portion 73 of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments tools. Preferably the support also includes end members 74 and 76.

[0057] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3A-3C, the slots 72 are sized to receive the surgical tools with a removable interference fit.

[0058] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the bottom surface 80 of the support is provided with adhesive material 82 to hold it in place on a separate support such as a medical table 84.

[0059] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 3D, the bottom surface 80 of the support is provided with a flat surface 83 to hold it in place on a separate support such as a medical table 84.

[0060] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3E-3H the support 70 a includes an elongated slot 71 a which extends only part way across the upper surface 71 b, leaving a horizontal portion 71 c which supports the surgical instruments.

[0061] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3I-3K the support 70 d includes an elongated slot 71 e which receives an elastomeric insert 78 having slots 78 a to provide a yieldable interference fit 78 f for the surgical tools.

[0062] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the external surface 92 of the support 90 is, for example 1.25 to 1.5 inches high and 1.25 to 1.75 inches wide at the base and includes at least one arcuate portion 94 of, for example 1 to 1.4 inch radius to assist in maintaining the instruments in place.

[0063] In another embodiment the support includes a pair of arcuate surfaces 94 and 96 to assist in maintaining the instruments in place on the support. Slots 98 of for example {fraction (3/16)} to {fraction (1/4)} inches are located in upper surface 99 which is, for example 0.25 to 0.50 inches wide.

[0064] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 5, support 100 of basically the same size, includes at least one tapered surface 102 to assist in maintaing the tools in place on the support. In another embodiment the support includes a pair of tapered surfaces 102 and 104 to assist in maintaining the tools in place on the support. Slots 106 are located in upper surface 108.

[0065] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the support 110 includes at least one tapered surface 112 for example of 0.25 to 0.50 inch and one arcuate surface 113 for example of 0.25 to 0.50 inch radius of curvature to assist in maintaing the tools in place on the support. In another embodiment the support includes a pair of tapered surfaces 112 and 104 and a pair of arcuate surfaces 113, 115 to assist in maintaining the tools in place on the support. Slots 106 are located in upper surface 108.

[0066] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the support 120 includes a first arcuate surface 121 for example of 0.25 to 0.50 inch and at least one one second arcuate surface 123 for example of 0.25 to 0.50 inch radius of curvature to aid in maintaing the instruments in place on the support.

[0067] In another embodiment the support includes a pair of first arcuate surfaces 121 and 124 and a second pair of arcuate surfaces 123, 125 to assist in maintaining the tools in place on the support. Slots 126 are located in upper surface 128, which may be flat or arcuate.

[0068] In accordance with another embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-8E, a surgical support 170 made of hard plastic, resilient plastic or metal such as stainlees steel, aluminum or aluminum alloy, and may be disposable or sterilizable. The surgical support includes an elongated body portion 171 and a series of slots 172 located in the upper portion 173 of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments tools. Preferably the support also includes numbers 175 located on the body portion for the specific surgical instruments located in the respective slots so that the liklihood of an instrument being left in a patient or otherwise misplaced is reduced. Preferably the support also includes end members 174 and 176.

[0069] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8A-8C, the slots 172 are sized to receive the surgical tools with a removable interference fit.

[0070] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the bottom surface 180 of the support is a flat surface 183 to hold it in place on a separate support such as a medical table 184. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the bottom surface 180 of the support is also provided with adhesive material 182 to hold it in place on a a medical table 184.

[0071] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 8B and 8D the support 170 includes elastomeric buttons 186 located in slots 188 with an interference fit, corresponding to the number of slots 172 in the support 170. When the nurse, physician or attendant takes out the instruments, the button corresponding to the number of instruments is depressed.

[0072] That button will remain depressed because of the interference fit with the walls of the slot, or in another embodiment by surface deformation of the buttons. When the operation is over and the instruments are to be replaced, if the number of instruments does not correspond with the button that is depressed, the attendant will know that one or more instruments are missing, and may have been left in the patient.

[0073] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 9-9E the support 190 is made in two sections 191 and 192, each having a body portion 193, 194 and instrument slots 195, 196. Section 191 includes a female latch 197 having a slot 197 a and section 192 includes a male latch member 198 having a projection 198 a which in closed position shown in FIGS. 9A, 9D and 9E telescopes within a portion of latch member 197.

[0074] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 12-12B the support 290 is made in two sections 291 and 292, each having a body portion 293, 294 and instrument slots 295, 296. Section 291 includes a female latch 297 having a slot 297 a and section 292 includes a male latch member 298 having a projection 298 a which in closed position shown in FIG. 12A, telescopes within a portion of latch member 297. FIG. 12B shows the assembly in the extended position in which slots 295 and 296 receive surgical instruments to be supported and stored.

[0075] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 10 the support for surgical instruments includes a series of slots 200 spaced relatively far apart so that each slot may receive a plurality of surgical instruments 202. In FIG. 10 the slots are formed by cutting or molding the slots 200 leaving vertical side supports 204 and flat sections 205 to support the extended portions 206 of the surgical instruments.

[0076] The bottom surface 208 of the support is also preferably made flat to facilitate its remaining in place on a supporting surface such as a medical table.

[0077] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 10A the support for surgical instruments 210 includes a series of slots 212 spaced relatively far apart so that each slot may receive a plurality of surgical instruments 214. In FIG. 10a the slots are formed by cutting or molding the slots 210 leaving vertical side supports 211 and curved sections 215 to support the sides 116 of the surgical instruments.

[0078] In another embodiment shown in FIG. 11 the support for surgical instruments includes no series of slots and the surgical instruments 220 are supported by a continuous curved surface 222 to support the extended portions 226 of the surgical instruments. The bottom surface 208 of the support is also preferably made flat to facilitate its remaining in place on a supporting surface such as a medical table.

[0079] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 13-13B the support 300 is made in at least two sections 301 and 302, each having a body portion 303, 304 and instrument slots 305, 306. Sections 301 and 302 each include a female latch 307 having a slot 307 a and a male latch portion 308 having a projection 308 a which in closed position shown in FIGS. 13 and 13B, telescopes within a portion of female slot 307 a. FIGS. 13B and 13B shows the assembly in the extended position in which slots 305 and 306 receive surgical instruments to be supported. Any number of sections 301 and 302 can be connected together to make along instrument support. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A surgical instrument support comprising: an elongated body portion having a series of slots located in the upper portion of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments.
 2. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support is made of material selected from hard plastic, resilient plastic and metal.
 3. A surgical instrument support according to claim 2 wherein said metal is selected from stainlees steel, aluminum and aluminum alloy.
 4. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said slots are sized to receive the surgical instruments with an easily removable interference fit.
 5. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein elastomeric inserts are provided in said slots to provide a yieldable interference fit.
 6. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein a variety of sizes of slots are provided in said body portion to accomodate various sizes of surgical instruments.
 7. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support has a bottom surface which is provided with means to hold said support in place on a separate support.
 8. A surgical instrument support according to claim 7 wherein said separate support is a medical table.
 9. A surgical instrument support comprising: an elongated body portion having a series of slots located in the upper portion of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments and wherein said body portion has at least one arcuate surface to facilitate holding medical instruments in place when not in use.
 10. A surgical tool support according to claim 9 wherein said support has a pair of arcuate surfaces to facilitate holding said surgical instruments in place when not in use.
 11. A surgical instrument support comprising: an elongated body portion having a series of slots located in the upper portion of the support adapted to receive a series of surgical instruments and wherein said support has at least one tapered external surface to assist in maintaining said surgical instruments tools in place on said body portion.
 12. A surgical instrument support according to claim 11 wherein said support has a pair of tapered external surfaces to facilitate holding surgical instruments in place when not in use.
 13. A surgical instrument support according to claim 11 wherein said support has at least one arcuate surface to facilitate holding surgical instruments in place when not in use.
 14. A surgical tool support according to claim 13 wherein said support has a pair of arcuate surfaces to facilitate holding surgical instruments in place when not in use.
 15. A surgical tool support according to claim 13 wherein said arcuate surface is located below said tapered surface.
 16. A surgical instrument support according to claim 14 wherein said pair of arcuate surfaces are located respectively below said pair of arcuate surfaces to facilitate holding tools in place when not in use.
 17. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein at least a pair of said supports are removably attached.
 18. A surgical instrument support according to claim 17 wherein a pair of said supports are connected with a removable quick-connect latch.
 19. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support is provided with adhesive material to hold it in place on a separate support.
 20. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support is provided with a flat surface to hold it in place on a separate support.
 21. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support is provided with elongated slots which extend only part way across said upper surface, leaving a horizontal portion which supports the surgical instruments.
 22. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support includes an elongated slot which receives an elastomeric insert having transverse slots to provide a yieldable interference fit for said surgical instruments.
 23. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said support includes means to indicate the number of surgical instruments which have been removed for use in an operation.
 24. A surgical instrument support according to claim 23 wherein said means to indicate the number of surgical instruments which have been removed for use in an operation includes numbers located on said body portion corresponding to the number of surgical instruments which have been removed for use in an operation.
 25. A surgical instrument support according to claim 1 wherein said means to indicate the number of surgical instruments which have been removed for use in an operation includes includes elastomeric buttons located on said body portion in longitudinally spaced slots with an interference fit, corresponding to the number of slots in said support, said buttons being deformable to indicate the number of surgical instruments which have been removed for use in an operation.
 26. A surgical tool support according to claim 25 wherein said elastomeric buttons are located on said body portion in longitudinally spaced slots with an interference fit.
 27. A surgical tool support according to claim 18 wherein said elastomeric buttons are located on said body portion and said buttons have been mechanically deformed.
 28. A surgical tool support according to claim 18 wherein said support is made in two or more sections, each section having a body portion and instrument slots, and said removable quick-connect latch includes a female latch member having a slot located onone of said sections and the other of said section includes a male latch member having a projection which in closed position telescopes within a portion of said female latch member.
 29. A surgical tool support according to claim 17 wherein said support is made in two sections, male and female, each section having a body portion and instrument slots, and said female section includes a female latch member having a slot and the male section includes a male member having a projection which in closed position telescopes within a portion of said female latch member.
 30. A surgical instrument support according to claim 6 wherein said series of slots are spaced relatively far apart so that each slot may receive a plurality of surgical instruments.
 31. A surgical instrument support according to claim 30 wherein said series of slots include vertical side supports and flat sections to support extended portions of said surgical instruments.
 32. A surgical instrument support according to claim 31 wherein said bottom surface of the support is made flat to facilitate its remaining in place on a supporting surface.
 33. A surgical instrument support according to claim 31 wherein said series of slots include vertical side supports and curved sections to support the sides of said surgical instruments. 35 A surgical instrument support comprising: an elongated body portion located in the upper portion of the support to receive a series of surgical instruments.
 36. A surgical instrument support according to claim 35 wherein said body portion has a curved surface to support said surgical instruments.
 37. A surgical instrument support according to claim 35 wherein said bottom surface of the support is also made flat to facilitate its remaining in place on a supporting surface. 